Tube cutting apparatus



March 20, 1956 o. DENLINGER 2,738,623

TUBE CUTTING APPARATUS Original Filed May 11, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet l Fig. .3

IN V EN TOR. Or/an Den/inger mmwm Attorney:

March 20, 1956 Original Filed May 11, 1950 0. DENLINGER TUBE CUTTING APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig. 5

INVENTOR. Or/an Den/Inger MWZL Attorney:

United States Patent TUBE CUTTING APPARATUS Orlan Denlinger, Dayton, Ohio, assignor to General Motors Corporation, Dayton, Ohio, a corporation of Delaware 4 Claims. c1. 49- -52 This application is a division of my co-pending application Serial Number 161,558 filed May 11, 1950, issued September 30, 1952, as Patent No. 2,612,001.

This invention relates to apparatus for cutting brittle tubing such as glass and porcelain.

It has always been difficult to cut glass tubing and the like exactly at the place and in the configuration as desired. This is especially true with respect to very short lengths of tubing. it has been particularly difiicult to obtain a smooth out or break which is substantially square or perpendicular to the axis of the tubing.

It is therefore an object of my invention to provide an improved apparatus for cutting brittle tubing and the like in which the tubing can be cut squarely to any desired length.

It is another object of my invention to provide an improved apparatus for cutting brittle tubing and the like which is simple, safe, reliable and accurate.

It is another object of my invention to provide an improved apparatus for cutting brittle tubing and the like in which the tool and labor costs are low.

It is another object of my invention to provide an improved apparatus for cutting brittle tubing and the like in which the tubing can be cut with a charnfered or beveled end.

To attain these objects, at the desired point of cutting I clamp between two clamping members a ring of a rubberlike material. These two clamping members are forced together by clamping in a vise or other suitable means of applying force to squeeze the rubber-like ring so tightly into contact with the outer surface of the tube thatthe tubing is cleanly cut at the location of the ring.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, wherein a preferred form of the present invention is clearly shown.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of one form of apparatus for carrying out my improved method.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary view-in elevation of a part of the support of the gauging and scoring means.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary end view of the support for the gauging and scoring means.

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view of another form of apparatus for carrying out my improved method; and

Figure 5 is a view in elevation of a scoring device which may be used with the apparatus shown in Figure 4. 3

Referring now to the drawings and more particularlyto Figure 1 there is shown a piece of brittle tubing such as the glass tubing 20. While glass tubing-is used as an example, the method and apparatus are applicable to brittle tubing of various materials such as glass, porcelain, quartz and ceramic materials. As a specific exmple it is assumed that it is desired to cut the glass tubing 20 to an exact length of 6 inches.

To do this conveniently, I provide a rod 24 having a scale thereon marked all in inches and fractions thereof. An adjustable clamping stop 26 is provided upon the rod 2,738,623 Patented Mar. 20, 1956 i 24 and in Figure l is shown clamped by its set screw 27 exactly at the 6 inch mark upon the rod 24. For convenience the rod 24 has its left end extending through and fixed tightly in a block 32 which is held in a receptacle provided in the support 40. This block 32 has a tongue 34 upon its lower face and arms 36 extending from its upper face which fit into complementary notches in the support 46'. This particular mounting arrangement of the block 32 and support 40 provides a firm support for the rod 24. The support 40 is firmly mounted upon the table 42 or other suitable type of support.

The cutting apparatus is properly located relative to the rod 24 so that the cutting of the tubing 20 will take place exactly at the length indicated by the location of the adjustable' clamping stop 26. The cutting apparatus assentially includes a member 22 of a soft material or synthetic rubber or any other soft and elastic rubber-like material which will act like a hydraulic fluid when under compression; This member 22 is conveniently in the former a ring which is substantially circular in cross section.

However, it is not necessary that this be a ring or a circular in cross section since a straight piece of material may be placed around the tubing and will operate in exactly the same way. The rubber-like member 22 is so located that when it is compressed, its center line is exactly aligned I with the end of the rod 24. The rubber-like member 22 is held within a recess formed between two telescoping members 44- and 46. These telescoping members 44 and 46 are coaxially arranged relative to the tubing 20 with a reasonable amount of clearance. The member 44 has a cylindrical recess 43 which receives the rubber-like memher 22 and the projecting portion of the member 46. The

telescoping members 44 and 4-6 fit together with a snug, slip-fit.

The member 44 is conveniently fastened to the fixed jaw 50 of a vise. The fixed jaw 59 is located relative to the suport 4t and the rod 24 in such a way that the adjacent end or" the rod 24 is exactly opposite the center line of the rubber-like member 22 when it is compressed. The member 46 is fastened to the movable jaw 52 of the vise which is slidably mounted upon a guideway 54 in the form of a projecting portion of the fixed jaw 50. The jaws 50 and 52 are provided with notches 56 and 58 to receive the tubing 20 to be out.

In my method, no scoring of the tubing 20 is necessary. However, better control over the cut is obtained by scoring the inside of the tubing. If it is desired that the cut be the rod 24 is provided at its inner end with a sharp scoring tool 28 preferably made of some very hard material such as Carbolcy. The scoring tool 28 may be provided with a diamond point if desired. To use this scoring tool; 28 the tubing 20 is threaded through the rubber-like them-- her 22 and the telescoping members 44 and 46 until its end is firmly pressed against the adjustable clamp stop 26. While the tubing 26 is held against this clamping stop 26 it is rotated so that the scoring tool 28 will be pressed against the inner wall of the tubing and will score the inner wall of the tubing exactly at the center line of the rubber-like material when compressed to provide the scoring ring 30 as shown in Figure 1. if it should be desired to provide a charnfered end upon the tubing 20 the scoring ringilll is not made at the center line of the rubber-like member 22 when compressed but is made to one side or the other of this center line a distance equal to the amount her 22 when it is squeezed sufliciently to completely fill the recess between the telescoping members 44 and 46 and press firmly against the outer surface of the tubing 20. To bring the jaws 50 and 52 together I provide a large screw 60 rotatably mounted in the fixed jaw 50 and threads through the movable jaw 52. To rotate this screw 60 I provide a crank 62 rotatably mounted upon a downwardly projecting portion of the vise 50. This crank 62 is provided with a pinion 64 which meshes with a gear 66 fixed to the end of the screw 60 so that the jaws 50 and 52 may be readily moved together as desired.

When the tubing is cut as desired the vise is opened and the block 32 can be readily removed from its support 40 and withdrawn, to remove from the member 46 the cut section of the glass tubing which can then be withdrawn from the rod 24. After this, the block 32 and the scoring rod 24 can be replaced and more pieces of tubing can be cut in the same manner very conveniently.

In the form shown in Figures 4 and the scoring and the measuring functions are independent. In this form, the rubber-like member 22, the telescoping members 44 and 46, as well as the vise which includes the jaws 50 and 52, the screw 60 and the crank 62 and gears 64 and 66 are the same as in Figure 1. This form difiers from the form shown in Figure l in that there is provided a separate scoring device 121 having thereon a scale in inches and fractions thereof as well as a scoring tool 123 and an adjustable clamping gauge 125. The gauge 125 is provided with a set screw 1.27 for clamping'purposes.

In using this apparatus, the tubing 129 is scored prior to the insertion of the tubing 129 into the telescoping members 44 and 46. The adjustable clamping gauge 125 is set to the exact length of the tubing desired. particular example, the length desired is 1 /4". The scoring tool 123 is inserted into the end of the tubing 129 until the adjustable clamping gauge 125 firmly engages the end of the tube 129. While the gauge 125 is held against the end of the tubing, the scoring tool 123 is pressed against the interior wall of the tube 129 and rotated around this interior surface through an angular distance of at least 360. This will provide the scoring circle 13]. shown within the tubing 129.

To properly locate the end of the tubing 129 within the telescoping members 44 and 46. I provide a stop member 133, the inner end of which serves as a stop to locate the end of the tubing 129. The other end of the stop 133 is fixed to the adjustable bracket 135. This bracket 135 is adjustably clamped to the table 137 on which the vise is mounted. The table is provided with a scale in inches and fractions thereof which is coordinated with the bracket 135 and the position of the stop 133 relative to the location of the telescoping member 44 and the rubber-like member 22 to indicate the location of the end of the tubing 129 relative to the line of cutting 131 of the tubing 129. The bracket 135 is clamped to the table 137 by a wing not 139 which threads onto a screw having its head siidahly mounted in a keyhole type of slot in the table 137. The scale upon the edge of the table is arranged to cooperate with the vertical face of the bracket 135 to indicate the distance from the end of the tubing 129 at which the cutting will take place.

While I have provided convenient stops and scoring tools for convenient use, It should be understood that it is not necessary that these conveniences be used but that my method may be carried out merely by use of an ordinary vise and the rubber-like member 22 with any suitable means for squeezing the rubber-like member 22 firmly onto the outer surface of the tubing 129. Although I have shown a vise as the means of squeezing In this i 4 the rubber-like member 22 it should be understood that the other arrangements for applying the squeezing force to this rubber-like member may be used if desired.

While the form of embodiment of the invention as herein disclosed, constitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted, as may come within the scope of the claims which follow.

What is claimed is as follows:

1. Apparatus for cutting brittle tubing including a body having an aperture through it for receiving the tubing to be cut, said body having a recess extending around the inner surface of the aperture, said body being provided with a rubber-like material within said recess, said body being also provided with adjustable gauge means coordinated with the location of said recess, said gauge means having a portion serving as a stop for the one end of the tubing for locating this end of the tubing a desired distance from the breaking point of the tubing, said gauge means being also provided with a scoring device located in proper relation to said recess for scoring the interior of the tubing'at the proper breaking point, said body being also provided with pressure applying means for forcing some of the rubber-like material out of said recess into contact with the tubing to cut the tubing.

2. Apparatus for cutting brittle tubing including two annular telescoping members each having an aperture therein for receiving the tubing, said apertures being aligned to receive the tubing to be cut, one of said telescoping members being provided with an annular recess which receives a portion of the other telescoping member, said portion being long enough to fill said recess, an annular member of a soft rubber-like material lodged in said recess between portions of said two telescoping members, and means for moving said telescoping members toward each other for squeezing and displacing inwardly the member of soft rubber-like material to apply a pressure upon the outer surface of the tubing until the tubing is cut at the place of application of the pressure thereto.

3. Apparatus for cutting brittle tubing including an annular body having an aperture through it for receiving the tubing to be cut, said body having an annular recess extending around the inner surface of the aperture, said body being provided with an annulus of a rubber-like material within said recess, said body bein also provided with adjustable gauge means coordinated with the location of said recess, said gauge means having a portion serving as a stop for the one end of the tubing for locating this end of the tubing a desired distance from the breaking point of the tubing, said body being also provided with pressure applying means arranged to fill said recess for forcing some of the rubber-like material out of said recess inwardly into contact with the tubing to cut the tubing.

4. Means for cutting brittle tubing including two unitary annular members each having an aperture for receiving the tubing, the aperture in one of the members having an annular recess therein, the other member having a portion extending into and providing a tight slip fit with the walls of said recess and being long enough to fill the recess, an annular element of soft rubber-like material lodged in said recess between the end of the recess and the end of the portion extending therein, and means for forcing said portion into said recess sufficiently far until the element is forced inwardly into contact with the tubing with sufiicient' pressure to break the tubing.

Montaperto Aug. 1, 1911 Hull et al. June 1, 1948 

